A Hard Command To Follow

[hldude]

“A Hard Command To Followâ€
By Zach Wood
John 15:12

I wanted to share a passage with you that I was reading the other day during my devotional time and it really spoke to me.

When I read that passage, I thought of all the excuses I so often use toward God about not loving certain people who have treated me wrong. But when I read this, I realize how much love God gave to me by coming to die for me and how little He asks for us to reach out and love others.

Loving others may seem like a very hard task, but when I consider what Jesus went through to show His love for me, I shouldn’t complain about His command to love others. This is not to say loving others is not difficult sometimes. But we must remember what was done for us through Christ’s death and sacrifice to show us love when we have a hard time loving others.

I find myself giving so many excuses when God tells me to love on someone who has wronged me or has done something to lose my respect. When people wrong us, hurt and/or do something that causes us to lose respect for them, we have a right to feel angry and frustrated. However, God never told us we have the right to hold a grudge or to avoid them and not show love.

I know there are so many different situations we can bring up and discuss where people argue of their reasoning to not to show to someone who has deeply hurt them or done something horrific in their family. I myself have felt and would probably feel the same way toward those who have done that, but I know that God tells me I need to show love as He has shown love to me.

Maybe there is someone you know right now that you have not shown any love toward because of what he or she has done. Would you pray that God would work in your heart and give you the ability and desire to show them love? I know that’s probably asking a lot, but just give that a try. It’s not a change that will happen overnight, but God will give us, through consistent prayer, the understanding and ability to love those who are hard to love.

Remember Jesus’ words, “Love each other as I have loved you.€

 

[P31Woman]

I don't equate forgiveness with restored relationship. There are many people we may need to forgive but not have a restored relationship with.

We can forgive people who have harmed us but we don't need to restore that relationship if they have no desire to admit their fault or try to change their sinnful ways.

I want to quote Dr. Allender, "Repentance from an abuser is required for reconciliation."He goes into great detail over what true repentance looks like. It's not an "I'm sorry"....it requires some deep hatred for the harm caused and concrete action to try and heal the wounds of those harmed. It is based on 2 Corinthians 7:7-11

<sup class="versenum">7 </sup>and not only by his arrival, but also by the comfort he received from you. He told us about your deep longing, your sorrow,<sup class="footnote" value='[d]'></sup> and your zeal<sup class="crossreference" value='(I)'></sup> for me, so that I rejoiced even more. <sup class="versenum">8 </sup>For even if I grieved you with my letter,<sup class="crossreference" value='(J)'></sup> I do not regret it—even though I did regret it since I saw that the letter grieved you, yet only for a little while. <sup class="versenum">9 </sup>Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. <sup class="versenum">10 </sup>For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.<sup class="crossreference" value='(K)'></sup> <sup class="versenum">11 </sup>For consider how much diligence this very thing—this grieving as God wills—has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure<sup class="crossreference" value='(L)'></sup> in this matter. (HCSB)